MILWAUKEE, WI — Healthcare organizations are more likely to invest in energy efficiency upgrades and efforts at their facilities than other industries in North America, according to research from Johnson Controls Inc. and the American Society for Healthcare Engineering. 

The organization and Johnson Controls' Institute for Building Efficiency are reporting the findings (pdf) today at the ASHE Annual Conference and Technical Exhibition, which is being held in Tampa, Fla. 

In a survey conducted earlier this year, 58 percent of the professionals with decision-making authority for healthcare facilities in North America said energy management is very or extremely important to their organization. By comparison, 52 percent of decision-makers for buildings across all sectors in North America said the same, the research for Johnson Controls and ASHE found.

Complementing the findings on attitudes toward energy efficiency, facilities decision-makers said they plan energy efficiency capital investments in the next 12 months -- with respondents in the healthcare sector again making a stronger showing than their counterparts across industries: 62 percent in healthcare said they plan capital investments in energy efficiency over the next 12 months compared to 52 percent across North American industries. 

The survey also found that respondents in the healthcare sector said they have already taken several steps to improve energy efficiency. Lighting retrofits topped the list as shown below. 

The findings represent a segment of Johnson Controls' broad annual survey on attitudes and efforts regarding energy savings called the Energy Efficiency Indicator. The poll of 2,882 executives and managers with authority over energy investment at facilities worldwide was conducted in March, and North American were results presented in April. The respondents included 288 professionals in the healthcare industry. The International Facility Management Association was a partner in the research in addition to Johnson Controls and ASHE. 

The response from healthcare facilities leaders this year compared favorably to results from 2008, when the groups last published study findings on the industry. This year, 80 percent of the building executives in healthcare surveyed said they have a goal of achieving green building certification or incorporating green elements in new construction projects. Seventy-two percent reported the same in 2008. 

As in other industries, the leading driver for energy efficiency in healthcare  is cost savings with brand and image enhancement taking second place as a motivator, the survey found (see chart below).

Next Page: Perceived barriers, possible solutions and more.